Utopia
by Omicron the IceQueen
Summary: When the world you know inside and out has always been in peace, in every meaning of the word...how do you react to being invaded? You put your hope and faith in the Gundam Force that swore to protect you. Hang on people, this is going to be a wild ride.
1. Chapter 1

Utopia

It was the slight lack of the intense afternoon sun light that had the locals looking up and around, taking note of the building clouds. Not that some storms were too unusual this time of year or in the regain. Nor overly large, as in those earth soaking tempests that reminded one and all that the world was still ultimately in charge. No, this was more in the normal down poor that was for the heath of the land, yet just big enough to encourage people to start migrating to sheltered areas if not inside.

The land itself was almost like picture to those not of this world. There was a harmony that saturated all, of the land and sea, the people and the plant itself since terraforming. It was the ideal result of such a process, a hybrid agricultural and technological cultural that had evolved over thousands of the years into the optimal balance.

The end result could very easily be called a paradise, even the people had settled with inner peace, human and mecha alike had lost aggression and negative feelings with each generation until they could truly call themselves Utopians. The down side was that the vast majority of the populace lost the fighting instant to rise up in defense of themselves; the blood thirst their founders had to use up to secured and shelters their world. Those same founders knew their own faults and darkness so the human founders had freely given over the planetary and civilian defense to the Gundams.

The plan had worked far better than any had a hope to believe, but it did, and it led into the times now.

Back to the present on the outskirts of one of the capital cities, citizens were scurrying under trees or in waiting shelters, made for just this reason, early to be ready for the rain. There were a few that didn't mind getting wet, or were resigned to getting wet.

Sahara, 'Shute' to family, gave a long sigh as she skated down the long road back home. It was another forty minutes at a steady pace before she was back on the other side of the city and a bit more to her home. The girl could go through the capitol but she never did, Sahara like rollerblading around the outskirts so much more.

It was peaceful in the semi country, on this track, the hour in the morning and in the afternoon to and from school or her apprentice work, gave her time to think. To work on school and personal projects and problems, she could also do 'last minute' reports using her speech to text converter on her compact computer that was mounted on Sahara's left forearm.

It was good exercise too.

Coffee colored eyes glanced upwards at the clouding sky, and the brunette youth worried for a few moments of the chances of being rained on, as she was actively working on a class project designing of an energy shield for avalanche survival.

Sahara sighed again and saved her work before closing up her computer to focus on the path ahead. The entertained the hope that she _could_ out skate the rain, and grinned in response as she picked up speed. The path stayed smooth with no rocks invading, just some grass over lapping the edges, making them seem softer.

Spotting the one other person and his drone companion on the road ahead, Sahara's grin turned to a beam of pleasure. "Officer O'Conical!" She called once close enough.

The blue and white mech turned smiling himself as he opened his arms to receive the shorter human, turning with the Sahara's gathered momentum and lifting her up. He was nearly a foot taller than Sahara, broad shouldered, with a belt of sorts wrapped around his hips, mostly for easy aces. No weapons were visible other than a uniform baton that had only ever been used to tap a wall to startle youth at night to go back home, and in one case to help a pet down out of a tree.

Chuckling softly as he set her back down, the named Officer O'Conical twitched the sensors on his helm, "Back again are you young lady?" He asks, holding the girl's shoulder until sure Sahara had her balance on her skate.

"Yep!" Sahara nodded happily, pulling her backpack partly off and around to her front, keeping one strap on to support it. "And I have something for you, first batch of the spring harvest." Sahara pulled out a hand sized bag with pinkish red powder inside, holding it up to the mech.

"And you're giving me the first one to test out again are you?" The Officer mech chuckled again, but gladly took the bag, knowing that it made a great fruit juice when mixed with water.

"Well you've been the tester for first seasonal batches since my mom was walking this path," Sahara pointed out, crouching down on her skates to stroke the chirping drone on the side of his domed top, "Hi Patchy, is big old O'Conical still making you trundle over the grass?" She giggled as the drone whistled in complaint as its linked mech shook his head in exasperation at the line that was like their daily meetings.

"He's fine just like yesterday lass." The mech shook his head, whistling at his drone to fallow. Holding a hand out for Sahara to grasp and right herself before the girl started to skate circles around him as the Officer started off again.

"But that was yesterday!" Sahara chirped, grinning as she coasted on the road, "Are you coming to the next festival of light Officer O'Conical?"

The blue and white mech considered, pulling up his schedule on his heads up display on the inside of his visor, "Sadly it looks like I'm not Sahara, I'm on patrol duty."

"Aww..." the girl pouted, shoulders dropping a bit in disappointed, "You have the best throwing arm and get the best prizes though." Sahara made a face as the mech placed a hand on her head and messed up the girl's short hair.

O'Conical laughed as Sahara ducked away from him, "Maybe the next festival lass. I'll see to it you get something fuzzy and cute." The mech promised, "Are you going to skate around me the whole time to your turn off?"

Sahara considered and nodded slowly, "Yeah, I think I will."

"Homework you don't want to do at home?" The mech asked, getting a giggled in return that assured him he guessed it right. "Alright, let's hear about your new project."

The girl beamed again and launched into explaining her homework. Happily chattering the next for the next half an hour, alternating between skating slowly and going in circles around the mech as they approached the side path to Sahara's home. When reaching that point, Sahara pulled off her roller blades and socks, pausing long enough to hug the blue and white mech goodbye before running out on to the grass with her hands stuffed into her skates.

Of course, not ten steps away, the clouds that had been continuing to group together and plot, finally let loose with a fine sheet of rain.

Sahara wilted a bit, taking that second for the universal feeling of, '_Aw man..._' before sprinting to the nearest tree in the flat grassy plan. Ducking into the marginal shelter that remained dry up against the trunk and barley a foot beyond, Sahara shook herself and ran her hands through her hair. Glancing back she saw with a bit of a put out feeling that Officer O'Conical's drone was extending an umbrella like rain shield over them both.

When the mech motioned over to her, Sahara shook her head, calling out, "I'm good!" even knowing that the Officer O'Conical was more than willing to walk her home so the girl wouldn't get overly wet. In fact he used to do just that when Sahara was younger. She was older now after all, nearly thirteen and in her opinion had the body mass to survive the rain perfectly fine until Sahara got home.

There would be a warm lavender latté waiting for her there, as their always had been since Sahara turned ten and whenever it rained. Now it was a leap frog like 'game,' running from tree to tree, Sahara taking the extra few moments for a minute of shelter as she worked her way as close to passable to her home.

A completely unexpected flash of light and boom of thunder so loud it sounded like it was right above her. The girl reflexively screamed, flailed and dived for the ground, flattening herself in the grass away from the tree. Taught in instinctive fear at the audio assault, Sahara didn't move until the ringing faded from her ears. She jumped as there was another flash, but it took a full three seconds for the thunder to come this time thankfully.

Still...

Sahara edged away from the tree behind her, lifting up a little to judge the best place to go to. She knew single and lone trees were bad to be by in a lightning storm, but couldn't remember if the same applied to more than one. Sahara wondered if she should wait it out in the orchard, or brave a full pelting run back home to the assured safety of shielded walls and roofs that existed even in her little work shed/room. That latter option did involve the seemingly riskier prospect of open land and sever lone trees.

Against any unrealized better judgment, mostly due to the fact that Sahara was still young, she retreated into the fruit orchid. Flipping her arm mounted computer open; Sahara sent a message to her mother that said she would be late as she was waiting out the rain until it got better. If it didn't, it was easy enough to send a request to the local Mobile Aid and Assistance units, the M-2A, to have someone help her get home.

The girl nodded, closing her computer as she decided to wait an hour before doing just that. That would give Sahara just that much more time to work on her project, and by done so she could have the rest of the evening to play. Dipper duty or not with her baby sister... but maybe Sahara could get to her workshop and now half room after dinner.

Pleased by her options, Sahara ducked into the hallow of an old, old chestnut tree's truck, carved out long years ago but kids of another past generation for games of hide and seek that still ran strong today. The tree was a perfect insulation against mechs that could see heat, as some mechs that specialize in care giving. Thus the need for open hideaways in trees for the games, but the opening was large enough that those mech guardians could easily reach in and pull out the giggling child. It was those games that gave Sahara to idea of where to wait out the storm.

Settled down in the chestnut tree, Sahara crossed her legs and once more opened her arm mounted computer. She was focused on it to the point of nearly being engrossed, so it took a little while before Sahara realized that there were sounds differing from the now established normal noise of the storm. Voices penetrated next, many of them really, strangely.

One stood out as it was deeper; it had such a _commanding_ tone and integrated edge of power to it that the girl sat up but not knowing why. Sahara peeked out, looking around, hesitating to walk out into the wet but curiosity was growing despite herself. All the Pickers, mecha civilians of the non bipedal type, would all either be in shelters made for them or using their stabilizers to ground themselves. So the speakers couldn't be them... and didn't the Pickers only speak in base mechian (whistles, chirps buzzing and other mechanical sounds)?

Sahara frowned in confusion, wondering if the M-2A's had been called in to pick up someone else that was hiding from the storm. That was a reasonable explanation in the girl's mind as far as she knew there wouldn't be anyone else out until the rain lightened. If the M-2A's mechs were out getting someone else then getting a little wet while walking over there, but she'd get home and her lavender latté that much sooner. The girl extracted herself from the chestnut tree, cocking her head and listening for the voices, they were clearer now so the direction they came from was as well.

The ground was wet, making the grass slick under her bare feet, and the few earthy patches squished between her toes. It made Sahara make a face but she still headed deeper into the orchard.

"Hello?" Sahara called as she walked, looking around several trees. A snapping sound, this time like that of a stick instead of air, had her turning and then blinking at the three mechs that blinked right back at her.

They were her size, which was odd enough, as most adult mechs were at least six feet tall. These mechs were only about four feet or so, and these mechs weren't children for they had fully formed armor and... Some sort of hand held hardware that Sahara couldn't identify; one even had a strange axe that was visible over a green shoulder.

Green and black seemed to be their colors, mostly the dark green. Though short for mechs, as least in comparison to the nation Utopian mechs, they were strongly built. Probably able to lift their own weight if not more, judging by what could be seen of their support stricter. The other thing that stood out was that these mechs only had one optic like eye, two were a different shade of golden yellow and the third mech had a blue optic.

"...Zaku?" One asked, blinking his golden optic again.

"Hi?" Sahara half asked, tilting her head.

"Hi, Zaku." The blue optical mech replied, stepping closer, and seemed surprised when Sahara didn't react to him in any way. "You're not afraid of us? Zaku?"

"Why would I be?" Sahara asked back in confusion, "Aren't you apart of the M-2A?"

"Of course!" The axe carrying mech blurted, slapping his hand held hardware onto his hip before grasping his complains by their collar ridges and pulled them back.

Sahara blinked again before shrugging, having always seen mechs as nothing but safety there was no negative response in her to these strange mechs, "Can I get a lift home? Since you're already out here helping someone?"

The axe carrying mech, who seemed to be the speaker of the three nodded, "Yes, we can do that, Zaku, but you should come back to see the commander first." He reached out to take Sahara's hand, his grip firm but none harmful as he tugged the girl with him. Behind the other two were exchanging looks, smirking under their masks.


	2. Chapter 2

Utopia

The rain had dulled to a misting drizzle, the lull in the storm more than tolerable, but the native Utopian knew it wouldn't last too long. Sahara said as much, but the green mechs didn't seem to mind. The 'leader' of the three distracted her with a few questions, announcing that they were new to the area, and not seeing any reason not to, Sahara trustingly answered all that she could. Mostly, she explained that they all were in one of the main fruit orchards outside of the agricultural capital: Neotopia.

Sahara had to do a double take as she realized that there were now five green mechs where a moment ago there had been three. She trailed off topic in confusion, counting again, "Where did they...?"

"Oh don't stop now little missy," said a newer, deeper male's tone, which had a growling, gravely edge to it that was so _new_ to her that Sahara jumped away. Spinning around and eyes widening in open awe at the mech that looked back down at the girl, she didn't hear the snickers from the Zakus. "We are all _very_ interested in what you're saying after all." He had a strange, rough accent that the human had never heard before, and despite herself Sahara was fascinated.

He was easily six feet, the average size of a mech, but his helm design with the raised sail-like crest and his sharp edges (spiky-ness), as well as the bulky armor made this mech look larger than he was. There was also a manner about the mech, how he held himself that just added to his stature. He was _in charge_ and knew it, as did all the Zakus around them.

Easily a dozen had arrived now... but where were they coming from?

Like the Zakus, this mech only had a single optic-like eye, a dark ruby color that matched the crimson red of his armor. He had undertones of grey and highlights of gold. The main spikes on his shoulder guards were also golden, yet the mech looked like it had been years since he gave any time to polish. Though metallic, the metal of his frame was scuffed and scratched with larger scars of both kinds (healed and forced wielding) haphazardly crossing this way and that. A visor rested over the top of his helm and the mech had a face guard that seemed to be half of an air scrubber, but it was all but integrated on his helm and face as well. That too looked like it hadn't been serviced in a while, let alone taken off.

It took a long moment for the mech, one Zapper Zaku, to realize he had just inadvertently put the Utopian native into an awestruck shock. Brown eyes wide and mouth open a little as she absorbed the sight of him. Sighing the mech reached out and snapped his fingers in front of the human's face, "Oy! I know I'm stunning for my age, but that's enough, little missy."

"...are you one of the... the _Founders?_" Sahara asked after blinking rapidly and slowly coming back to herself. From school and personal research, she knew that there were a few of the original Gundam mechs that founded Utopia still alive even today. Not many, but if ever there were a mech that was that old and still capable, this strange red mech had to be it as far as Sahara could tell.

"I'm a founder of something," Zapper snorted, smirking under his face guard before he walked around the girl, looking her over and taking note of the slender and lanky frame. If he had to guess, in another year or less this clearly youthful frame would be hitting that last awkward growth spurt before adulthood. In other words: the teenage years, filled with limbs growing faster than the body, hormones, much confusion, and rampant emotions. It was something of a nightmare for both human and mech parents alike when their offspring were in this state.

At the moment, this child was still just that: a child. It meant she was one of the greatest gifts in Zapper's line of 'work', it meant that this human was _trusting_. The evidence in this misplaced trust was shown in the lack of fear around the Zakus and himself, even if she was confused. Honestly though, Zakus could confuse anyone that wasn't a true Axian and thus used to insanity. Yet every now and then Zapper's own horde did some things that baffled him, so it was wise never to underestimate a Zaku or a group of them.

Back to the situation at hand, Zapper guessed he had a little time to manipulate this human and get some native knowledge of this new world. The Zaku commander had every intention of taking this advantage, his optic flickered over the girl again, noting the arm mounted computer and couldn't help a little bit of approval. One: it was a computer, and two: it was designed right, unlike that other world the Dark Axis had just come from.

"Now," Zapper wrapped an arm around Sahara, pulling her with him over to where two rounded stones were, flat on two sides to make a seat though they seemed to be out of place, "You should continue, little missy, about what you were saying about this area, and that city you mentioned."

"Neotopia?" Sahara asked, blinking as she took the indicated seat. She still had to crane her head back to look up at Zapper as he gracelessly flopped on the other seat. At hearing a gasp the girl looked over in bemused confusion once more to note that there were now even more Zaku's than the five before. A rapid count came up with ten or eleven.

Where were they coming from?

Really!

The original three were looking between the two sitting, they were openly comparing sizes between their commander and the human. The axe wielding one popped out of the crowd, bounding over beside Sahara. "Here!" he announced, and before the girl could react and before Zapper could reach over to smack the Zaku away, the green mech picked Sahara up, making her squeak in surprise, and sat down. Sahara was now in the Zaku's lap and just a little bit closer to Zapper's optic level, "Zaku!"

Zapper facepalmed, growling to himself in exasperation, not ten minutes before his whole horde had just had a unified freak out of all the organic material and matter from grass to trees. And here was one of those same Zakus humming in pride of a random idea to help the human, or maybe him. "Scrap for brains," He muttered before letting it go too slid away with practiced ease and switched back to the original topic. "Yes, that place. How big is it and what's the layout?"

Frowning now, Sahara still answered, "Well... it's one of the capitals on Utopia so... really big?" She offered, paused and then after looking up at the optic of the Zaku she was sitting on, Sahara raised her personal computer, flipped open the cover and activated the hologram display. The girl typed in a command to link up with the navigation network, and then brought up the basic layout of the city she had lived beside all her life.

"Neotopia, the inner city is approximately twelve square miles with the agricultural towers reaching over a thousand feet in height," Sahara read aloud and made a thoughtful sound, she hadn't realized her home was just barely in the city limits.

"Population?" Zapper asked leaning forward a bit and committing the holographic images to memory. He was aware that his Zakus were also crowding each other to get in closer for their own look. The one under Sahara peered over her shoulder as he loosely wrapped his arms around her unnoticed.

"Residence?"

The girl shrugged and pointed to the information on the bottom, "608,660 residents more or less, But there are always people coming and going day and night."

"How many are mech in that number?"

Sahara gave Zapper a funny look, "I don't know, at least half are mecha civilians. There's a whole other counting system for advanced drones and base AI aren't include. Neotopia is one of the ten main cities that's best in both technological and agricultural education paths."

The red mech hummed, "Fascinating... what are you learning?" Zapper added as an off chance thought as adults tended to have, though in reality he was fallowing a feeling in his gut.

The girl gave him a look that was both sheepish and proud at the same time, "Umm… a lot of things..."

"Like...zaku?" One of the horde pressed, picking up or just guessing what his commander wanted to know.

"Well, I'm studding mecha and mechanical engineering," Sahara blurted out with a blush, looking down to fiddle with her computer and finally noticing the arms around her middle.

Zapper arched up an optic ridge at that, looking the human over, "Isn't that a bit advanced for someone your age?" She couldn't be more than twelve or thirteen he'd guess.

Sahara was a bit more sheepish, "Normally for my age group, yes... I'm a bit ahead."

"All the better!" Zapper rumbled now as he realized the sudden value of this girl that his horde had found. "Commander Sazabi will be pleased at this first intake." He smiled under his face guard in an almost parental amusement at the cheer from the horde.

"Intake?" Sahara asked, "What do you mean? And there's no Gundam leader named Za-za-bi." She stumbled over the non-Utopian name that had been spoken with that new Axian accent.

"Sazabi! Zaku!" Once of the Zaku's corrected her.

"Za-sabe?"

"Sazabi, zaku."

"Za...zabe?"

"Sazabi-Zaku."

"Sa-?"

"That's enough!" Zapper cut in over the sincere attempt to get name right.

"And we're not Gundams, human, we're zakus! Zaku!" a horde member added, promptly fallowed by an enthusiast, "ZAKU!" from the others around.

"Idiot!" The red mech yelled, leaping to his feet and, moving faster than his heavy armor suggested he could, was by the Zaku that just spoke. Zapper pulled his own axe off his back and used the flat of the blade to hit the Zaku in the back of the head hard enough that the smaller green mech face planted into ground.

But the damage was doubly done.

Sahara's forming question along the lines of 'what do you mean' to what Zaku were promptly dissolved into uncomprehending shock at Zapper's actions. It didn't matter that the Zaku was rising from a blow that should have severely dented his helm in, but that the red mech would even _think_ about striking another... That he did so without hesitation or thinking about it, that such an action looked like it was done so often that it was an ingrained reflex...

Something happened then, something that was inevitable in any Utopian thanks to their own peaceful world and culture. Without the 'fight' gear in the instinctual fight-or-flight human response a Utopian was, without any emergency training, would do as expected: Flee.

Sahara wasn't even aware of exactly when adrenaline surged into her system or how she'd slipped free of the Zaku she'd been sitting on. She wasn't aware for the next few minutes as her body took over to just _run_. Leaving behind her roller blades and the Zakus as the girl stretched out her legs for more speed. It seemed like Sahara could only dodge trees thanks to a childhood growing up by her family's orchard and playing countless days here with other kids her age.

Even so, that fact didn't change even when between one step and the next, one of Sahara's bare feet came down on a hard, sharp surface. Crying out at the totally unexpected pain, Sahara tried to pull her foot up but her right foot was already coming down on the sharpness as well. Two painful stumbles later and the girl crashed down, her partly grown frame landing heavily on what felt like the old-style of pavement... that crunched under her weight...?

Pulling herself up with a wince, Sahara looked down at the ground and her brow crumpled with renewed confusion. It took a few moments for her mind to catch up with what she was seeing, thoughts pushing past the adrenaline to the grass.

It couldn't be grass. Grass was green and smelled, it was soft to the touch, cushioned your fall, and helped keep the ground in place on the hills. It wasn't that grey color even when unhealthy, nor hard like finely-carved stone that crunched under hands and knees.

"What's going on?" Sahara asked Utopia in general as she looked up, only to freeze as she saw that the trees ahead were like the blade of grass. All impossibly petrified to stone, from the great nut-baring trees to those that made fruit and even former wild flowers were grey and lifeless at the roots.

Sahara shuffled back onto the real living grass, leaving behind scattered spots of red that was the only color in that patch of the orchard, she stood shakily after pulling out a few slivers of stone, cringing at the pain in her feet.

"This is imposable." The girl said, crouching back down to pick up a small flower that her fall had broken in half. It was bent a little, frozen in time while bending with a breeze and small enough that Sahara had to use her most delicate of holds so as not to shatter the thin petals. "What could do such a thing... and why?"

"Zaku!"

Sahara spun around, for the first time fear seeped into her, climbing up her spine and in between the cracks of adrenaline and mystification. Her mind rapidly jumped to the conclusion that the mechs she met were responsible. They had claimed not to be Gundams after all, Sahara didn't recognize their design and that act of violence was enough to scare even her unshakable mother. It wasn't hard for her to do so, and the Utopian promptly started to run again, sure she'd been spotted and wanted nothing but to be at the safety of home.

Another minute Sahara had her bearings in the orchard again and the girl turned right around the trunk of an apple tree. She slowed enough to get her feet under her and leapt for a lower branch of the next tree, scrambling a bit on the trunk before getting her sore feet into the nearly hidden entrance in the trunk. She slid the rest of the way into the hidey-hole and balled up with her pack over her head just in time.

Several sets of metal feet tromped by to the chant of, "Zaku, Zaku, Zaku!"

Sahara scrunched lower, trying to wiggle around to pull her left arm up from being trapped between her legs and body without lifting up too much. She wanted to call the M-2A, but found her fingers keying in a different code as if on their own accord instead.

-_This is Gundam Force dispatch, what is the prob..._- A mech's voice started to say, but cut off as he heard the tone of the girl's words.

"I need help..." Sahara whimpered, covering her computer before fumbling to lower the volume, "Please, there's these mechs that- that are green and have one optic and the orchard and grass is all stone and Zapper _hit_ him and they're after me and I don't know why-!" Sahara gasped as her rushed to complete her disjointed run-on sentence.

-_It's going to be alright,_- The reassuringly smooth mech's voice said, tone lowering a bit, -_What's your name?_-

"Sahara," The girl said, swallowing and lifting up, first her backpack that was still on her head so she could then peek out of her hiding place.

-_Where are you Sahara?_- The mech asked even as he was tracking the signal of Sahara's personal computer.

"The Theta Orchard, my mother is the caretaker," Sahara started, only to yelp as a hand reached in to grab her backpack and hauled it and her out as she still had her arms through the straps.

"There you are," Zapper growled as he extracted the human from the hiding place, the main reason he had found her was because of the bright blue pack, "Stop squirming you little… eh?"

-_Sahara run and hide there's a Gundam near you!_- The mech on the line was yelling before a large black hand closed over the arm mounted computer. He twisted and yanked it away before tossing the hardware aside as the mech ignored the yelp his action earned.

"None of that," The Axian growled again, lifting the girl up by her pack. "Now you are coming with me to the Komusai and if you stay a good little girl the Commander might not petrify you like those trees back there." Zapper began reaching for Sahara, but was kept from doing so by an energy blast in front of his facemask. Reflexively, Zapper dropped the human and leapt back with a snarl of, "Scrap!"

Something as large as Zapper and hard with the living metal of a Gundam's armor slammed into the red mech's non-spiked right side. The thing, or rather this person, was moving with enough momentum and enough force to not only send Zapper crashing down and sliding a good ten feet away, but made the Zaku commander hit a tree hard enough to wedge his crest into the trunk.

"Do not be frightened," A new voice spoke as the blue and white frame of the newcomer turned to scoop up Sahara, cradling the girl in his arms the mech was already moving again to the sound of thrusters to get clear of the orchard. "I'm here to protect you," he continued once in the open field, proving that the girl hadn't been too far from the edge of the forest.

Sahara blinked up at a face that was both familiar and unknown to her at the same time. The general design of the mech's helm and clean facemask were reassuringly Utopian, and he had that two tone color of the eyes that was unmistakably those of a Gundam.

"Are you alright...?" The Gundam started, pausing as the girl in his arms promptly latched onto him, wrapping her arms around his neck. Giving a reassuring purr, the Gundam glanced at the edge of the orchard as he dialed up his scanners.

"Get back here with my prisoner!" Zapper's voice yelled from out of sight and within the trees, his tone making Sahara flinch. "Zakus! Call the Bagu-Bagu!"

"I shall take that as a 'maybe.'" The Gundam said picking up multiple unknown and non-Utopian signatures as well as a very strange mass reading coming from behind...? He turned to see the shifting form of what could be called a swarm, but the mech was too far to tell exactly what made up of.

And then the mech noticed the ground under the swarm as it hovered close and near, the green was slowly turning gray as the rain started again.

The Gundam reflexively held Sahara closer to him as he realized the swarm was responsible for the prettification of organic flora and fauna he had come across. The mech looked down at the girl he had, "Hold on," he warned before activating the thrusters on his back once more to put a safety space between the human and the threats of not only the swarm they would later learn was the Bagu-Bagu that Zapper had called for, as well as the Zaku's coming out of the forest.

"Why are they doing this?" Sahara asked even as she kept her face low against the warm armor of the Gundam.

"I do not know," The mech slowed and stopped, setting Sahara down on the grass and gently pushed on her back, "Stay here, stay low and do not be alarmed if you see me using a weapon." The gundam stood back up, stepping away before retrieving his firearm off his back.


	3. Chapter 3

Utopia

This could be a large problem if he didn't stay on top on the shifting situation. Between these new mechs- what had Medic One called them again?

Right.

Axians.

Between the Bagu-Bagu creatures Axians brought, both the trooper class Zakus that were shorter than him and their larger (and very well armed) commander who seemed like he should have been the largest threat... But no, the priority was the safety of human behind him that was staying _exactly_ where he put her down before. That fact was good and bad, it kept the girl well out of the way of the fight but also she wasn't running farther away from what the Gundam realized was the biggest threat to her.

The Bagu-Bagu swarm was clumping together, pulling all the tiny members closer to a dancer mass. The way they were moving the thicker the swarm became suggested that things needed that thinker mass to make a choice of what to do. They couldn't hurt the native Utopian Gundam, no organic flesh to alter on him into stone. So the swarm moved away from the danger of firing weapons and to the only organic being within its collective scanning range.

It took a minute for their direction to click, and as a spike of panic ran through the Gundam, Zapper was hard to bite out a curse as well. He _wanted_ that girl to take back! He's seen the arm mounted computer and from their chat before the wibbly act fell, the mech understood the mechanical inclination of this human.

Zapper knew that the best invasions started out well informed. More so if you knew what kind of people were in the new place as well as the warrior strengths. Unlike some of the other Dark Axis commanders, this old red mech new better than to underestimate a place that had Gundams, more so when there was fewer war-class as they _always_ made up for the lack of number.

So he needed that child of peace to take back and properly interrogate, not to bring back another lawn ordainment! It seemed he had been too hasty to release the Bagu-Bagu and- "By Dead Space!" The mech got out as he saw the energy blast almost too late, Zapper jerked to his right, flinging his head back and rolling his optic like eye up into the protection of his visor. That dropped reflexively to shield his upper face even as the heat from the shot burned at visor, breather and his lower eye-section.

With a pained roar, the red mech staggered back away from the Gundam, dropping one of his own sub-machine rifles to clasp a hand over his visor in an attempt to fend off a possible second and blinding shot. Later on, Zapper would consider that a well played move when he looked back and considered what happened next. At the present moment however the Zaku commander was snapping out Axian curses as Zapper staggered back into his troops that rushed forward to help support and cover him while the mech was starting to make sure he could still see depth, colors, near and far.

The Gundam meanwhile had broken off, letting the shorter Zakus basically freak out in an only semi-organized faction. They were temporarily without a leader, and judging from their reactions the Utopian estimated he only had a few minutes, two and half. His thrusters activated again as the while mech pulled an oval object off his hip, it was green in the middle with the ends being transparent to show the circuitry within.

Having only a moment to prime the grenade and check the integrity of his internal shielding, the Gundam threw the device ahead of him. It bounced on landing, skipping just ahead of the swarm that bore down on the human girl. The Bagu-Bagu buzzed and made a _tich-tich_ sound as some of the small mechanical insects landed on the grenade in confusion at its appearance.

Small lights flickered in the transparent sections before the device opened, splitting apart and extending outwards before it detonated. Unlike the grenades used by the Axians, or even those from the original home world, there was no explosion or flying shrapnel. No, what happened was a barely visible half bubble of energy rapidly extended outwards pacing over the oncoming swarm and the human. The bubble like dome almost made it to fifteen feet before collapsing in on itself, yet ever Bagu-Bagu that came near the field or within it seized up and fell from the air as the eclectic magnetic pulse fried the tiny, delicate inner workings.

The girl, Sahara, yelped from the heat on her left arm, yet even as she reached for it to be sure it wasn't dead on the off chance strong metal hands were pulling her up. "But..." Sahara started to say some sort of protect as she was lifted. Nothing came out, and the word had come from her shaken state.

"That is replaceable," the Gundam said firmly, gently as he half ran, half used his thrusters, "You are not young one." He added landing again a little farther. A quick scan and look showed that Zapper was recovering so the white mech set the girl down, holding Sahara steady before pointing to the path two feet to their right. "You need to leave, head down this way and the Gundam Force will find you, I have already notified them of your current location and planned heading but you must be careful."

"But what about you?" Sahara asked, her own grip on the mech's right arm never wavering. The fact that Gundams were protection, had always been and always will be the guardians of their home world and people had been ingrained into her like all Utopians was almost as strong as their ways of peace. So even though this mech was surely going back to...

To...

To _fight_ again (that word seemed so dark now for some reason) with the Axians, Sahara wanted to stay with the Gundam because he so represented _safety_.

"I will be..." The mech looked up from gently prying her hands free of his arm, he paused and went strangely still as he stared.

What happened next was a very strange and new experience for this mech, though he knew by instinct that it wasn't bad. Far from it as he stared intently at the human girl in front of him with unwavering focus. It took a moment before Sahara sensed the change and looked up into the blue and yellow eyes of the Gundam, still high on a mix of emotions though confusion rose up again to the strongest for she recognized the look she was getting.

It happened once or twice that she knew of, but only one other time that was clear in her memories. She had seeing a mech with this same manor and intensity when meeting the younger brother of a class mate. That mech had stared much like now, before all but taking the baby boy from the arms of an amused and grinning mother. He'd been with that family, with that boy ever since, slowly becoming the primary caretaker.

The white mech here seemed aware of what was happening but couldn't stop it even though he _knew_ that he shouldn't do this. The Gundam was a military class! He was one of the protectors of this world- needed to dedicate all his time to protecting the people of the world he loved...!

Imprinting, no matter how normal for a Utopian mech, was _not_ a wise thing for his Gun-Sol to do right now. Especially in the middle of a battle!

"_Fire!_" Zapper's voice yelled, the command picked up by the Zakus who energetically fallowed the order.

_Protect!_ The Gundam was fairly sure that those at base could hear the screaming of his natural instincts while reflexes kicked in. Twisting partly, the white mech grabbed and pulled Sahara against him while slinging his shield around. The bigger mech pushed the girl down while impaling the anchor of his shield into the ground, leaning over her to provide more cover.

Sahara heard herself cry out, pressing her face against the Gundam's chest and twitched with each bright energy shot that she saw. At the same time the Gundam wasn't flinching at all even as he shifted to look up over the top edge of his shield to get the locations of the invaders.

The Gundam ducked his head but to put it closer to the girl's, again he wasn't flinching away from the fire. Shifting to bring both arms up and around her, hoping she wouldn't focus on his rifle, the white Gundam pulled her into an embrace that's wasn't quite a hug. Sahara couldn't look up from her position, so instead pressed closer for the comfort when the mech started a deep rumble.

"Count to ten," The gundam instructed, hoping no one was aware of his inner war not to let go now that the imprinting process had started. "And then you must run, as far as you can, do not stop until the Gundam Force finds you. Do you understand Sahara?" He asked, thankful that he had been sent the civilian's name.

It took another moment, while the girl swallowed and unlatched herself from the mech's chest. She nodded, eyes still wide but at least fear wasn't dominating her mind anymore. That was something the mech approved of, rumbling again as he waited for a lull in the firing.

There!

The gundam was up and throwing himself to the right, rolling a fair distance as with the aid of his thrusters and leaving Sahara behind the safety of the shield. As he hoped the Axians moved their aim to track the gundam while at the same time his own rifle was lifted. Targeting systems kicked back into full gear as he shot a double set of rounds, only Zapper was faster on his feet this time as he too launched himself to one side so the Gundam's shot impacted against the shoulder and chest of a Zaku.

To say the Gundam was surprised that seeing the Zaku in question flailed, fell and bounced back up would be an understatement as he rolled again to get to his feet. The pale colored Gundam was moving again, getting distance as it seemed that in terms of long range he had the advantage for more accrete aim. Any closer was a buffer of just raw firepower, so close combat was out of the question for now.

Good thing he could snipe.

Back behind the shield Sahara was on the count of two, staring at her bare feet over her knees.

_Three. Four._

Sahara reached back and pulled her skates off, slinging them forward.

_Five. Six._

The girl swiped her hand over the bottoms of her feet, checking for any stone fragments in the small cuts on the balls and heals of her feet.

_Seven. Eight._

The skates were jammed on and locked into place while she flinched at a stray shot of energy came close again. Another clipped the edge of the Gundam's shield and went blasting off at an angle to impact into the ground. Burning grass, dirt and maybe making a tiny patch of glass in the center of the hole.

_Nine._

Sahara rocked up into a low crouch as she judged the distance between herself and the paved pathway. Knowing without thinking how far she could jump from a standstill, leaving only so much grass space that needed to be cleared before getting to the small road.

_Ten!_

The Utopian girl launched herself forwards, nearly stumbled and had to stretch out her legs to keep her balance. Then wheels hit solid unyielding ground and she could move, faster than on foot alone. Sahara didn't look back, not with the yell that sounded like "Stop her!" in the background. How she could see past the tears was anyone's guess but she did know this rout and the Gundam had said to run.

So she did, skating as fast as she ever had, Sahara only glanced back once or twice to see if she was safe but even when she may have been her body didn't want to stop. Not after glimpsing the strange, dark colored and alien looking ship that was rising out from behind the orchard's leading edge of trees. Any other time, or even just a half an hour or so ago Sahara would have been captivated by the raw _new_-ness of the ship. Right now, after all that had just happened...

It was a scary ship.

The sounds of thrusters almost diving to the side despite the pain that would result, but the sound was familiar enough for her to look up. Two gray and blue mechs with wings were dropping down from one of the large H-class hover crafts that were used for the transport of goods, or as carriers for the Gundam force. They were bulky and not the prettiest of ships no matter how they had been cosmetically re-engineered. Three rows of five hover coils were on the belly for lift, two stumpy wings that were only for attaching routers for maneuverability and plates were along the back for gathering solar power on long trips.

The ship's hold was almost over-large, giving the impression of a distended or bloated belly like some designer fish. The hold could open from both sides, dropping down and keeping a slight curve to them to accommodate fliers and sometimes just the awkwardly shaped loads needed a bit more space.

Considering the pure weight the H-class could lift from a dead stop, and being well able to make it to any destination... the looks and speed were acceptable tradeoffs.

"Hang on!" One of the fliers said as he twisted and turned in the air to pace the girl, reaching out and after being sure she saw his clearly visible Gundam Force emblem. He just about had to catch the girl rather than pluck her off the ground. "This is Holds, I have the last civilian," The mech said into his personal communications system under visor and mask while at the same time settling Sahara in his arms.

"Flamesflames-thankyou!" Sahara blurted out, clinging as her second rescuer was gaining altitude to make a mid-air landing in the one H-class crafts that was hovering in place while the rest of the squadron were heading back towards the Axian ship and the 'small' battle that seemed anything but small to the girl.

Holds chuckled and rumbled in his chest like the white mech had done before as he and his wing mate slowed. He was landing first as he had Sahara, "This is what we're here for youngling." Holds moved aside and sat to one side in the hover craft's hold while his partner, Tab-Tack, stood between them and the opening. With his metallic wings only half closed and grasping a handle bar above where Holds was sitting, he was trying to provide a sense of security as the side doors had to be left open.

"...what about that other mech?" Sahara asked, leaning to her right to see around Tab-Tack though not letting go of the mech she was on in the least.

"Don't worry about Captain," Holds said as he gently pulled the girl back against him, always keeping one arm around her.

"Yeah, Cap's the best of the best." Tab-Tack added, using his free hand to tip up his visor and let his grin show through his violet and red eyes, "And back up should be there. I'm Tab-Tack. And the ugly one you're on is Holds, my wing mate." The mech added kneeling down in front of the human, while on his back his thrusters hummed and changed position to help him keep balance while the H-class moved under them, leaving the scene.

"What's your name?" Holds asked, looking down at the girl that refused to let go of his armor, but at least she wasn't in hysterics like the last two.

"...Sahara," the girl said, looking back between Tab-Tack's wings and her eyes widened.

Tab-Tack might have dismissed it but Holds had stiffened as well, so he turned, just in time to see the explosion and curse the fires. Sahara tied to see but Holds had shifted his grip on her as he stood in a crouch, neither of the fliers or the pilot up front made a move to close the sides of the cargo hold. Even if the H-Class was tumbled around or even out of the air, it was safer to let Holds and Tab-Tack and their charge to bail out.

The explosion that came from behind was and wasn't like the larger fireworks in the festivals of light that Utopia was known for. From their gaining distance it almost looked like a firework, but not as it originated from just to the side and above of the Axian ship. The fire ball, seemingly fed through that strange warp in space, rapidly extended blocking the alien craft as well as two of the other seven H-classes from sight.

As well as the those on the ground.

"Scrap," Holds got out, using both hands to hold the girl while his wing mate braced him. Sahara made a sound that didn't have just one emotion in it, afraid for the un-named Gundam that had saved her from Zapper and his Zako horde. And yes even concern over her family's prized old orchards, not just from the enviable fires but there was the petrified trees.

What about the Picker-mechs? Those mecha couldn't move very fast at all, not with all their legs and arms and a heavily laden bucket.

"AH!" Tab-Tack yelped after the sound of the explosion made it to him, the gray colored Gundam staggered forward and away from the other two. One shoulder dropping as he attempted to reach back to left wing even though he couldn't reach. "Flame-burnt _slag_," He growled from the pain as well as at the piece of shrapnel that was wedged into his plated wing.

"How did it get all the way over here?" Holds muttered, ignoring the Utopian curses as Sahara squirmed to be put down so she could help stop the bleeding.


	4. Chapter 4

**Utopia**

It was an hour later when Sahara had a moment or two to herself. Sitting on an examination table while waiting for her doctor, she was dressed in a new pair or cream colored slakes and a sleeveless shirt. A shawl of the same color folded up beside her with slippers on top. She wiggled her bare toes and smiled a little before turning her attention to the room she was in.

It was a fairly common medical room as far as she could tell, about medium sized with one wall made up of a large window that over looked part of Neotopia's skyline and the fields beyond. Sahara was on the exam table that was parallel to the window and nearly against it. Along that same wall was what looked like scanners for both mechs and humans. In front of her were basic charts of the body, a large fifty inch screen that was currently dark and reminders about heath. To the right was the opaque, flex-glass doors that lead into the hall, it was wide and the two parts would slide into the walls to open.

Sahara looked out the window again as she saw movement in another room, visible as this was the inward curve of the crescent shaped wing of the hospital. The girl grinned as she saw the tall form of Tab-Tack being lead into a set of recovery rooms, those being different than where Sahara was, as the mech would be living there for however long it took, as well as having a wide and open balcony.

The girl could tell that it was Tab-Tack not just from the gray and blue coloring, but the height that all flier mechs seemed to have. But also that one plated wing was in a brace to keep him from moving it, and his thruster pack had been removed.

Standing up on her knees on the bed, Sahara waved energetically, feeling much better to see the mech up and not forced to lay down on his front on a stretcher. She grinned again once spotted and getting a wave back.

Then something very cool happened while the young teen was plastered against the window.

Sahara stopped making faces as she heard the thrumming hum of engines first, they had that reassuring steady-ness in the sound that said they were of Utopian make. Coming down from the sky, over the hospital building and dropping down to hover for a moment before the near full wing of Gundam Force fliers landed on the balcony.

"Ooohh..." Sahara breathed, counting four winged mechs, one was the same gray and blue colors as Tab-tack so that had to be Holds. They were another pair of partners with matching black and red colors with silver wings instead of slate gray like the first two.

But it was the evident leader, the wing leader that had most of Sahara's attention. First of all he was big, standing taller than the average seven foot for flier mechs, broad in the chest and more heavily armored for another thing. More so in comparison to the others around him, as they all were as streamlined as possible. Even this mech's wings looked stronger at this distance, as well as having hardware that latter on Sahara would recognize as launchers attached to the backs of the wings.

He was primarily all white in color with undertones of a dark shade (he was too far away to tell exactly what it was) with red and gold highlights. He had a darker, copper colored crest as well that curved up and back a little over his helm. Even on his pale wings the gold stood out, while on his shoulders the mech proudly bore large emblems for the Gundam Force.

Fascinated by his design, Sahara watched as Tab-Tack saluted and got one in return from the group, the girl didn't even noticed the doors opening behind her as the fliers talked. The wing leader moving forward to check over Tab-Tack himself, though never actually touching the injured wing in question while doing so.

Holds looked up after his partner said something, and smiling (it was visible this time with his mask pulled back), he waved at Sahara who promptly did so as well.

"Ah, watching the birds are you?" A new voice asked with a chuckle.

Sahara jumped, twisting around to look back with a sheepish look, "Umm... yeah."

"Well, they love attention that's for sure." The red and white mech said with another amused sound as he walked all the way in, human nurse and trundle drone fallowing after him. Standing at six and a half feet he was a little taller than the average mech.

This mech was broad in the shoulders, but designed to be as fast as he was strong. His red and white coloring stood out more so then other medics in this building for some reason. there were two emblems on his shoulders marking him a doctor in the universal white cross with an outline of flames behind it.

It would take a moment to realize why the red and white new comer looked familiar to Sahara.

"You're Medic One!" she blurted feeling a true thrill at meeting not only one of the true and _real_ founders of Utopia, but the current head medical officer and expert of the planet. Nearly every Utopian knew this mech, as he traveled around the world many times a year to check in on all his charges, as well as aiding the Gundam force. Unlike pretty much every other civilian mechs, this Gundam was armored, as he was formally a warrior.

He was one of those that had fought for and won the newly terraforming planet that became Utopia for a peaceful fate instead of whatever those of the past had for it in the planetary wars. Medic had an air to him unlike pretty much any other in Utopia, this mech had seen combat, a real war, but he also was at the calm stage that it had been a long time since and he had made peace with his core.

Medic One smiled at the girl, nodding at the name to assured it was him. "And you are Sahara, I know you." He said glancing back at the slender, pale white and almost pink nurse femma that fallowed him and taking the offered data pad.

"You do?" Sahara squeaked, surprised and pleased.

"Oh yes, you're one of the favorite apprentices of a few colleagues of mine." Medic One said skipping the data pad as the nurse vanished back out, though the trundle drone remained with not only a few medical things on the top, along with a plate with sandwiches triangles and clear covered dome over top. Under the top part of the tray and above the treads and engine, in that lower seconds Sahara recognized her things as well as a new pack.

"I didn't know that..." the girl muttered, between her three main instructions, two mechs and a human woman, she didn't think she was the best of students. "I like learning." She felt the need to say while willingly holding her arm out into the red mech's hands.

"That's always a good thing Sahara, you shouldn't loose it." Medic One said as he cleaned a spot, even though the girl had probably had a shower and a bath both already. "Do you know what I'm doing?"

"Immune boosters?" Sahara asked as she remembered her first orientation with starting her education away from home. It was a basic introductions to all fields over a week, from terra and aqua agricultural and biology, mining, farm, mecha engineering and even to the study and care of the inner planetary teleportation system to name a few. The latter was what Ahara was thinking of now, "Sometimes those from other planets in our system make it to Utopia even with that glitch thing I heard about, right?"

Medic One smiled and nodded again while he loaded the first of three injections, "Yes, and because Utopians have been semi-isolated from other words like the old Terra-Earth and Mirisha as well as the belt, you don't have all antibodies to fight any bugs or viruses. Not you'll feel pressure." He pressed the injector device to the girl's inner arm, watching for any signs of distress but only saw a look like any young one about to get into an engineering field. It was the want to pull something new apart to learn by hands on how it works and how to put it back together.

"Who where those mechs?" Sahara finally asked after the third shot, rubbing a numbing cream over the spot, "I've never seen a _mech_ with only one eye, optic."

"That," the healer said with a sigh, "Is because we didn't have very many Axians in the foundation of our world." The red mech stepped back to the trundle drone, tapping it closer before giving the human one of the sandwich triangles. "So the more defining features they have, such as the single lens like eye, shorter build and denser armor have not made it into the common mechs of today."

Sahara took a bite of the food willingly enough, hungry despite everything as it was a later hour (she missed dinner!). "What planet are they from?" She asked curiously, remembering the age to Zapper as well as the strange armor design he had.

"Their not from any one planet," Medic one explained, "Do you remember your solar system map?" Getting a nod the mech continued, "They come from, mostly, the asteroid belt. True there are some smaller moons and planetoids there but mostly there are the ones that colonized the belt and made it their home."

The girl considered this, tilting her head before asking, "How did they get here though? I thought our planet to planet jump system was glitched, and it only worked on or right by the largest sea for power. Neotopia's the inland capital, we're not that close to the sea or the platforms." She said, meaning the great floating structures that were used equally for aquadic study and farming above and below the surface.

"That I do not know." The red and white mech said shaking his head, though he had an idea it wasn't something to share with this youth. He was about to explain about a low level quarantine but his pasent was abruptly distracted. Shoving the last bit of her small sandwich in, Medic One watched as Sahara twisted around on the padded table before all but plastering herself against the clear window wall.

_Ah_, the healer thought with a chuckle as he too watched the fliers from before, they were now taking off. The wing leader saw them and since his visor was off his smile was visible only partly, the white mech dipped one wing and then sun in a lazy barrel roll, leaving behind lines of steam off his the leading edges of his plated wings.

Sahara made a happy sound as she waved after the Gundams, Holds at least waving back.

"What's his name?" Sahara asked looking back and pointing after where the fliers had vanished over a building in the cityscape, "I know Holds, his Ta-Tack's partner."

"Their wing leader is Gun-Eagle." Medic One explained as stepped closer, at the foot of the table like berth so he was not only beside her but Sahara was just about eye level with him. "He's a Commander rank in the Gundam force now. It's good to see him just about ground level again, it's been a while." He added almost to himself.

"What do you mean by 'about ground level'?" Sahara tilted her head, flopping back down and crossing her legs as she looked up at the mech, ready and willing to listen to all he had to say, fascinated by the Gundam Force that protected Utopia and its people.

Medic One motioned out to the visible sky as he explained, "Most of the fliers in the Gundam Force, when on duty, rarely touch the ground, with either air bases or the older satellite suspension system. Do you know about that?"

"Yep!" Sahara nodded, "I did a school project about them, we even hand one of those just east of Neotopia. Farther south there's a space elevator that's used to shift supplies up to the moon and two space colonies."

"You have been studding well," Medic One praised in an approving tone with another smile, "The fliers use those as well as the T-tone class airships as their bases. They can stay air born themselves anywhere from two days to nearly a fill eight-day week."

"All Gundam fliers can?" The girl's eyes widened a bit.

"Just those that were born into flying," The mech said as he turned around and pulled off the plate of food from the trundle drone, he placed it into Sahara's lap. It was a silent order to eat as well as a subtle tactic to keep the girl in place and to keep Sahara's attention from wandering too far. "Now, I am putting you into a low level quarantine."

Sahara eeped around another wedge of her sandwich, though relaxed as she got a chuckle in return.

"It's not bad," Medic One assured as he folded his arms over his chest loosely. "Only about a month, at home of course, the first week with only exposure to your mother, myself and nurse that will be checking in on you. After that you can move around if nothing happens, but if you do have a bug we'll know about then. Than after the month you can return to your normal routines."

"But what about my apprenticeships?" Sahara worried, her fingers gripping the plate in her lap. "I'm in three..." She trailed off as Medic One lifted a hand.

The mech rumbled softly, reassuringly, "You have been excused from your duties and school, though not from your home work. That should keep you busy."

"Oh. Oh..._oh..._" Sahara muttered as she first took assurance, and then worried, "But my computer... it was turned crispy." She said the girl's right hand over her left forearm where normally her personal computer rested. I had been taken off and apart to see if it could be salvaged but the electromagnetic pulse grenade from before had been too close. Had to be to take out the Bagu-Bagu and save her, Sahara understood that but she had all her school projects on it!

"True but that does not mean you lost the information." Medic One said as he stooped to pick something out of the things on the lower tray on the drone. Standing back up he took the girl's left arm before pressing a new personal computer onto the spot she had indicated before. And it _was_ new, one of the higher end models with more memory and even faster speed.

Sahara stared, mouth open a bit as she gaped before looking up, "For me?" At the red mech's nod she ran her fingers over the top and couldn't help an exited half squeal of delight at the holographic display that leapt up at her touch.

Someone had been kind enough to add in references from history files, all mostly in the fields the girl was interested in as well as additional things that Sahara had wanted to research. It was all uploaded into the computer's memory with links to even more resources one it connected up to the internet-like network Utopia had. There were also very fimilure file names in the index as well.

"Those are my projects and reports!" Sahara looked up, "How? I thought my other was too damaged?"

Medic One rumbled again, grinning, "It's standard practice for the departures of the Gundam Force to download the data on someone computer, the audio and scanners features help immensely to identify more clearly what's going on. The side effect of the process uploads their files, and the copies are normally deleted once the situation has been secured." The mech explained touching the girl's knee. "After hearing what happened, the mech saved your files to be put in your new computer."

"I didn't know about that." Sahara said, and then sat up, "Not that I mind, if it helped that one mech with Zapper and the other... Axians." She paused to be sure she remembered that and then blurted, "Is that guy okay Medic One? He saved me and there was that big explosion... that's where Tab-Tack got hurt, but is that white mech okay?"

"Everything is fine." Medic One assured, petting the girl on her head and smiling, "Finish your food and your mother will be in any minute to bring you home."

"Are you sure?"

"Very."

"I can go home with mom tonight?"

"As soon as she gets here."

Sahara nodded, chewing on her second to last sandwich while the healer excused himself to go check up on others. The girl looked out the window, this time noting that it was getting darker earlier from the clouds of the day. As she watched it started to sprinkling and then rain lightly, not bothered by the rain Tab-Tack was still standing out on his balcony with head tilted back and staring from under his protective visor at the sky.

...the human girl picked up her last piece of sandwich, setting the plat aside as she turned around to sit on her knees to watch the storm. She wasn't sure if it was a natural one or artificially encouraged, but her attention was on the Gundam, watching him enjoy the weather. And his friends, his wing mates were out there in the rain? Could the Gundams stay up in any weather?

She wondered if Tab-Tack would be okay, for he looked like he wanted to take off.

Before he, or she, left, Sahara fiddled with her new arm mounted computer to take a picture of the gundam, saving it for herself.

"Shute!" A new voice called, so well known that the girl knew it in a heartbeat.

"Mom!" Sahara spun, hopping off the exam table and bounding past the chirping drone to fling her arms around the taller woman's middle and bury her face against her mother.

Tall and willowy with a slender build even aver having two children, it showed that Sahara took after her father a bit more, but she had her mother's chocolate eyes. The older woman pulled her eldest daughter into a tight hug, kneeling down a little as she did so to be able to check for herself that the girl was alright. Whereas Sahara was a brunette like her father, her mother had darker hair, black and when in sunlight it was almost blue shaded.

Sahara's mother was the head of her field in this sector, though specialized in the fruit and nut baring trees. Thus, that was why their family was in charge of one of the largest orchards in the sector of Utopia. The woman came from another area, the southern tropics so in the summer and fall she tanned easily and well, even now she was darkening with the spring sun.

At this moment, Sahara was pulling on her slippers and grabbed the shawl. Gathering her things into the new backpack she willingly and gratefully left the hospital for home with her mother. Unaware that they were being watched until climbing into her mother's skimmer craft and slipped away in the dark and rain.

"Is something wrong M-1?"

Blinking, Medic One turned his blue gaze down to the human beside him, she was a little over five feet tall, with the trim but toned build of someone from the sea platforms as well as being an active mecha mechanic and technician. Her dark black hair had a bright green streak in the bangs, nearly matching the color of her eyes that were turned up with concern at the taller healer. The young woman was dressed in a crisp white uniform the human members of the Gundam Force had, for her it was a little strange as normally she was in the blue and red of the mechanics colors.

Izzie was probably off duty, or as close to it as the woman came, with a jacket folded over one arm she still look like one to take much time off.

"The young one asked for the mech that saved her." Medic One said with a frown and then arched up an eye ridge questioningly. "Have you heard anything Izzie, about Captain?"

The young woman shook her head, "No I haven't..." Izzie looked down and back up, reaching to touch the back of Medic One's hand. He turned it over to wrap his fingers reassuringly around her hand. "But I'm sure the teams will find him soon, it's only been a few hours. I heard he sleeps rather hard if he got knocked out."

Medic One nodded, not mentioning the possibility of their fellow Gundam Force member being sent through to one of the other planet the solar system. Or, flames forbid, to the belt. Shaking himself and letting his armor resettle on his frame, the mech turned fully to smile down at Izzie, "We will find him."

"Will the girl be okay?" Izzie asked motioning to the room Sahara had been.

With a thoughtful thrum and then rumbling, Medic One nodded slowly, "Physically yes, just some over exertion. Young Sahara was frightened badly, but I do not believe she's traumatized. She may have a few nightmares but the last few generations of civilians seem quite resistant."

"You're using your proud founder tone." Izzie pointed out with a grin.

"Well I am both." Medic one shrugged.

"Oldie."

"Youngling."

"_Everyone_ is young to you M-1." Izzie pointed out but smiled.

Medic One chuckled, "Of course. And you may see Tab-Tack now, though I have already set the core wing I'm sure he'd like help taking off the outer plates."

Izzie flushed a bit, "How'd you know...?"

"He's the only flier in right now." Medic One laughed as he led the way to Tab-Tack's recovery rooms. Of course he knew the woman's reaction to seeing the flier out in the rain would be good too.

* * *

><p><strong>Queen's Notes<strong>: Okay quicky things! Medic One, Tab-Tack, Holds are my characters, and Izzie belongs to my dear friend Blue! And look before you miss it! Gun Eagle!


	5. Chapter 5

**Utopia**

The dark blue flitter had since landed at home, but mother and daughter had yet to get out. The running lights on the sleek craft had been turned off so the two could enjoy the rain, Sahara laying on her back with feet propped up on the door and her head on her mother's right leg. She was holding her mother's hand as she stared up at the rain drops that were plating a natural rhythm on the clear dome cover that was over top.

The inside of the flitter it smelled like coffee and lavender, coming from both the two lattés Sahara's mother had brought with her, and where nearly finished. There was also a bundle or two of flowers hanging in the flitter's interior.

"Are you really okay Shute honey?" The older woman asked, running her fingers down the side of her daughter's face.

Sahara thought about it, really thought as she stared at the slippers on her feet and the rain beyond. She wasn't sure about walking out in the rain with them but... it had to be done. The girl also remembered Zapper Zaku.

Yes, he had scared her with his violence, to his troops and the want to catch her. But then, Sahara considered that he hadn't seemed to porously harm her, even when shooting in her direction it was in anger at the other mech. The white one.

Like any Utopian, Sahara looked at the best in people.

"I think..." Sahara looked back up into her mother's eyes, "I think I am kinda alright. At least for now, but I think I will be okay."

Her mother nodded, sighing softly as Keiko traced the girl's features again. "We have the house to ourselves this month Shute."

"What about dad and Nana?" Sahara frowned, paused as she remembered the minor quarantine. "Oh..."

Her mother chuckled, "They'll be staying at grandma Raru's, its okay Shute." The woman hesitated a moment herself and smiled, "Do you want to sleep with me tonight?"

Sahara shook her head, "I'll be fine, thank you mom." She took a deep breath, held and let it out again, "But if I do, at least this first night, I might not be able to sleep on my own."

The rain continued to fall, the intensity nether increasing nor tapering off. According to the weather report on the way home, the storm had formed on its own but was being 'fed' artificially to give the crops and orchards a good watering.

"I'm very proud of you Shute," The woman smiled and would have hugged the girl if she was sitting up.

"...but I can still cuddle with you in the morning?"

"Before or after pancakes?"

"Both?"

"Deal."

"You're so cool mom."

"Of course I am," The woman chucked, smiling. "Do you want to seep in your room or your shop?"

Sahara sat up, slowly so not to get a head rush or to spill the last of her now warm drink. "I want to go to my workshop. I want to back everything up," The girl looked down at her new personal computer, spreading a hand over it.

Her mother reached out and around to give her daughter a hug from behind, "That's a good idea, but you need to eat a little more, to keep up your strength, before going to bed." The woman held up four fingers, smiling as Sahara grinned back and silently counted down while she folded each of her fingers. At the last count of 'one' the two humans scrambled out of the flitter and raced down the path from the landing area to their large home.

The house itself was large yes, able to house more than just the family of four though it seemed most of the time it was only them living there all the time. Not to say it was really empty, for family and friends, the other caretakers of the main orchard were always stopping by. There was also the fact that the first floor was almost all for display and retail of the family's home made wines and goods when they weren't in market or store selling.

The eastern top deck was the largest as well open to the weather, curling around the house to shelter under roof overhang. There were other decks and porches that were interlaced in the oblong shaped house, that stood a good four stories most were protected and a few on ground level had hatches that lead to the underground wine storage rooms. A roofed passage way led from the second story in two directions, one down to whiner and the other to the sorting barn for the trees in the great orchard.

One set of stair from the eastern deck led to a flat stone path to a smaller building that was Sahara's cross of a workshop and room, forming being a club house a generation ago.

Inside was almost as confusing as the house shape, but for the family that lived there as well as the other caretakers it wasn't too hard. The two humans ducked into the first story to shake off clinging rain water from hair and jackets, the doors unlocked, before heading up to the second story kitchen. Food was made and shared while the two storm-watched and cuddled on a couch.

When Sahara finally yawned enough times, she shamelessly found her father's big jacket to ware on the shot scramble to her workshop. She didn't want to move very much on her feet, as the numbing solution her feet had been slathered with at the hospital was starting to wear off... yet she was stubborn enough to keep insisting that sleeping alone this first night. Sahara wanted to prove not to her mother or to Medic One, but to herself that she could do it.

"Take this Shute," the dark haired woman said, standing beside the eastern deck door, and offered a lumpy bundle.

"What is it Mom?" Sahara asked, pulled some of the fabric aside as she felt the sides. The familiar smell of mixed spices, vanilla, lavender and cinnamon wafted up from the pack of candles.

Keiko smiled down at her daughter, "It's for good dreams Shute sweetie." She pulled the girl into a hug, feeling young arms wrap tightly around her middle as Sahara understood. Those kind of candles were always burning and filling their home, and with the smells linked to good memories filling Sahara's workshop this night would make it less rough.

"Thanks mom."

"You're welcome... but if you don't go now I may not be able to let you go again."

Sahara _eep_ed, hugged her mother one last time before scampering off in a hopping pace outside, across the deck, down the stair and hoping from stone to stepping stone to her workshop. The brunet girl waved from the doorway to show her mother she was just fine before ducking into the darkened room. She paused, sniffing and frowning.

Something was off, Sahara could smell fresh wood and it was a little more humid than normal. Reaching out to her right, the girl searched for the pad to trigger the lights. When she waved her hand over it a few time, her eyes became adjusted to the dark enough to see an off colored patch on the ceiling.

Did the solar panels have a problem after she left this morning? That might explain the lack of light...

"Huh," Sahara muttered as she fumbled with extracting the four candles and the lighter in the pack. Stepping carefully over to a bench and placing the candles on the metal surface, where they couldn't do any harm, Sahara lit all four. She picked up two to walk over to her bed, planning on putting those candles on another bench were they couldn't' be knocked over.

Half way across the small room, the Utopian girl force, taking in the sight before her as it was lit by soft flickering glow of candle light.

To her right the mantis like repair drone was shut down into a deep recharged, having used up all the power the shop had to patch the roof, clean up the mess into three bags, as well as patching up the mech that was now in the girls bed in the back of the all in one room. Under the shelf like 'upstairs,' the white mech seemed either very soundly asleep, or unconscious. What armor he had still on and not neatly stacked on the top level-shelf over the bed, was scratched, grooved and even blacken, but his golden Gundam Force emblem still shined and reflected the glow.

Awed, Sahara moved closer and without taking her eyes off the mech she recognized as the one who saved her from Zapper, she put the candles down on a bench. Coming over the girl climbed up into her bed, reaching a hand out to touch his arm. When that didn't get a reaction the girl shook the arm as best as she could with both hands. "Umm..." What had Hold called the mech in the H-class?

"Captain?" Sahara asked leaning closer, "Are you okay? Why are you in my work shop?" she added, though honestly not expecting an answer. Sahara didn't notice gray fingers twitch at her voice as the girl leaned over. She put her ear to the mech's chest after checking to see there was no bleeding would, and his pulse was steady. This was hardly the first time she'd been close to a gundam or civilian mech, and humming pulse of his Gun-Soul was more reassuring then anything.

As Sahara was still young enough to be effected by the calming sound, her eyes were half lidded when she realized that arms were wrapping around her. The mech's core and body were reacting to her, curling up to the life that he had already started to imprint on.

A Utopian mech was gentle, and even unconscious Captain was no exception as he held onto the girl that would become his special charge throughout the night. Committing her energy and even sent (lavender and citrus with a metallic edge that came from living with a half mecha population) to memory. So by the time Captain opened his eyes the next day, with Sahara still asleep in his arms, the mech was content with having the imprint.

_It is going to be interesting rearranging my schedule_... Captain thought as he stayed where he was, gray fingers smoothing down light brown hair as he stared as intently as the day before at the girl's face. Everything hurt from the explosion, from his back to the throbbing in one audio to the armor he didn't hand on. How that last one was, Captain wasn't sure but thought it was called phantom pain.

He looked around the workshop slash room space, wondering just how in the Grate Flames he got there, but since he couldn't remember anything from early on in the flare of heat, light and sound, the mech assumed that he had passed out mid-explosion. The patched hole in the roof gave him an idea of how he got here as Captain rose slowly so not to disturb his sleeping charge. Tucking a blanket around Sahara- his Sahara!- the mech stood just as slowly, but this time to be sure he would get dizzy.

Captain managed the door, and hoped he closed it as the mech walked to the main house. He shifted his hold on Sahara to reach out and knocked on a window, looking in to meet the startled gaze of the dark haired Keiko.

The woman rushed over to open the door, paling a bit, "What's wrong?" She demanded stepping out into the late morning misting rain, reaching to pull back the blanket enough to see her daughter's head.

"Nothing," Captain said with a reassuring rumble like purr, looking down with a softening gaze at the girl while Keiko looked up at him in surprise, "Nothing is wrong... not at all."


	6. Chapter 6

**Utopia**

Sahara woke up to the feeling of someone brushing her bangs out of her face. Frowning at the oddness of that action she cracked an eye open to squint up into the grinning face of one of her youngest childhood friends. Bright purple eyes, pure golden hair pulled back and up with almost delicately pretty features, Sayla beamed down even more.

"Time to get up Shute!" Sayla chirped cheerfully.

The brown haired girl shifted a little, unsure of where she was, looking around to see that she was in her home, one of the dens. An observation window facing the orchard showed it was still dark and rainy out. "No its not 'Nella..." Sahara complained, slurring her friend's name into the altered version that she had called Sayla since they were toddlers. It was only fair as Sayla had started right off the bat calling Sahara 'Shute' back then.

Sahara could get up in the mornings most of the time, but her friend was the type of disturbing people (even by Utopian standers!) that only needed six hours of sleep and was normally up and about with sensible mecha mechanics in training would like keep on sleeping.

More so now as Sahara had fallen asleep once more last night tucked against a protective Gundam. Captain had left only long enough to get treatment for himself and do whatever it was the Gundam Force did after saving people with debriefing or briefing or buffing... before coming back. As much that Captain was currently in recovery time, as newly imprinted Gundams tended to get grumpy, according to Sahara's mother, when not allowed to spend the first weeks with their charge as much as possible. That seemed to consist most of the time trying to keep a cabin fevered teen in arm's reach rather than bouncing off the walls when not snuggled up at night to strengthen the new bond.

It was a new challenge for Captain, thankfully the mech seemed to like challenges.

Just staring to drift off to sleep again despite poking to the shoulder, brown eyes snapped open and Sahara jerked upright, "'Nella! You're not supposed to be here I'm in quarantine!" She yelped, flailing on the couch and away from her friend, ending up in a twisted pile of blankets, pillows and limbs on the ground, "...ow..."

Sayla winced, kneeling down be the twitching, groaning bundle on the floor, the girl lifted a corner of a blanket to peer inside, "Are you okay Shute?"

"I think I ate my spleen..." came the reply from within the tangle.

The blond girl sighed and rolled her violet shaded eyes in exasperation before patting the top of the pile, "No you didn't Shute, it's not possible. I'm sure that your spleen is right where it should be. Are you going to come out now?"

"Quarantine!"

"You're in a lowered quarantine, in the same level the rest of us around this part of the orchard are," Sayla patently explained, sitting on her knees beside her friend's failed ninja attempt to hide, "And Shute sweetie, you know that I'm apprenticing with my father, and he's one of the nurses that Medic One assigned here."

There was a long pause before coffee colored eyes peeked out between the blanket folds, "You meet Medic One too?"

"He's so very handsome, and can carry all that armor while still being so gentle," Sayla sighed dreamily as she looked up as if imagining the mech that was one of the few living founders of Utopia left.

A muffled facepalm sounded under the blanket, "You're horrible sometimes 'Nella..."

Sayla reached out to lift the fabric up and around until she found her friend extracting herself out of the worst of the tangle, "And its time for your immune boosters Shute. Then we'll go upstairs where father and your mother are with that nice mech." The girl reached to the side to pick up a bottle and shake it to empathize the need to take two of the vitamin sized pills. "Is it true he's apart of the Gundam Force?"

Sahara nodded as she kicked the last of the clinging blanket away, reaching out to take the three pink pills offed to her, and despite the face Sayla made, crunched them down dry. "Yeah, Captain says he's a first responder to threats or just unusual things that happen that don't come from Utopia or the collies. Station or Lunar." She _eep_ed as Sayla bounced into the nest, snuggling close and widening her eyes imploringly at the brunet.

"What's it like? The imprint and bond? And what kind of bond is it?" Sayla demanded, flinging her arms around the flailing Sahara to keep her pinned and thus get the answers the blond girl wanted. "I overheard your mom tell Daddy that you spent every night the last two weeks with him! Tell me!"

"You're horrible 'Nella! Its not like that!"

"Well what's it like then?" Sayla demanded, shaking the other girl, "You have to tell me Shute, I'm your best and first friend!"

"Actually Frankie the Picker-mech was my very first friend-"

"Shuuuuute!"

"Alright, alright!" Sahara flailed again, waving her arms as she was smacked upside the head for that psychological poke, "I can't feel the Imprint, that's on the Gundam side of things but the bond... its..." The girl considered, chewing her lip and grasping her toes of her feet while she thought about it for the first time. With Sayla's warmth clinging to her as well as the comfort of the home den, even being rainy and icky outside it was easy to sort the feelings though.

Brown eyes opened again and looked up into purple.

"Its warm," Sahara said finally, "And comfy. And I feel really, really safe when Captain's around." Sahara hesitated to add the next words, but carefully made sure she didn't mention the valance she'd witnessed from the Zaku and their commander Zapper, "And I know he'll always protect me, because he did. And he came back, so... it- I feel safe."

Captain kept the nightmares away in Sahara's opinion.

"You're so lucky Shute," Sayla sighed, that more normal dreamy like gaze of hers was returning, "No one around the Orchard has had a mech imprint on them. Not for a long time, it seems to only happen in Neotopia, or on the coast by the sea platforms."

It was Sahara's turn to roll her eyes, "'Nella, I've told you before: it doesn't matter where you are, imprinting is completely random. No one knows why despite there being theories flittering around since before the Great Flames." She spread her hands out, "Weather its just a right mix of energies the Gundam picks up on, scent, energy signature of inherited nanites or whatever, a mech doesn't pick, his Gun-Sol, the spirit does it."

"I still think you're lucky," Sayla pouted, then sat up to hurriedly add, "Not that I'm jealous! I'm very happy for you Shute!"

"I know," Sahara hugged her friend back, and was happy that she could do so without being afraid of being a carrier of some off planet sickness. "So I can leave the house now?"

"Yes," the blond girl nodded, "When the rain clears up tomorrow, will you go into the orchard with me? I want to find some peaches to make a pie and I want to fly a kite and try and find the mystery mech!"

"A mystery mech?" Sahara asked, worried as an image of Zapper came to mind.

"Yes, I heard that he's been giving girls flowers." Sayla nodded sagely despite the glazed dreamy expression she had on.

That image of Zapper warped, wavered and came back with the old scarred red mech prancing through the orchard giving flowers to every female Sahara new locally. The image was so clear, and the confused emotions so strong behind them that it echoed down the new bond. The girls could hear Captain's soft laughter from down the hall. Sahara chewed on her lip to keep from dissolving into a giggle fit.

"MmmHmm," Sayla slowly forced her gaze back to the burnet beside her, pulling out of the planetary network, "What's so funny?"

"You were crossing your eyes again," Sahara covered, not wanting to explain Zapper, or a prancing image of Zapper, "What were you looking up? You're mystery mech?" she asked, knowing that her friend wasn't fully human, not with a mecha civilian grandparent. The most obvious clue was the blond girl's eyes, the violet shade was a reflection of kind of nanites rich in her system. So much so that Sayla could wirelessly connect up with the planetary network.

The passive, kind, sometimes funny friend that Sahara knew, could very easily become a city manager or mayor once older. Sahara knew that their own current Mayor Gathermoon had the same traits, and same kind of nanites.

"I was looking up the last account," Sayla said, but worried inwardly that she was getting back into that bad habit of crossing her eyes when linked up, "He's been nice to everyone, and I want to see if he really has purple roses..."

"And that's your favorite color." Sahara finished, propping her chin in one hand with the same elbow on a knee, "Okay, but you're making lunch."

"Okay!" The blond girl beamed again, then paused. "What does Captain like to eat?"

"Umm... lets go find out."

"Can I have a hug from him Shute?"

"I don't think Captain would mind."

"Yay!"

"Hey- no dragging!"


	7. Chapter 7

**Utopia**

Not for the first time, and not for the last, the wounded Gundam wished that the world behind his lids was as peaceful as the waking world around him. His fingers twitched and tightened on the grip of his shield as well as the hilt of a sword that was sheathed inside. Up high in one of the old trees and out of easy and casual reach, for core instincts wouldn't let the Gundam be where still high-strung battle reflexes could cause him to hurt one of the innocents of this land.

At the same time, the blue and white mech could not put down his arms, not yet. He had kept his sword and shield out since being dropped into this world, this strange forest that provided the basic needs while the Knight healed from his injuries. Burns from Axian blasters, to lactations from enemy axes and... and...

Jerking again, the Gundam almost woke himself up as in his mind's eye he clashed swords with the pale form of his brother. With the heat of an out of control fire to his right, the ragged gasps from behind as his fellow Knight, Lord Sandrock, struggled to rise again while clutching his side and moving to throw himself against a support.

He yelled, half turning to see the elder warrior be buried in the garden escape tunnel, where the last of the charges of the Knights had once protected and raised. His diverted attention had been promptly paid in blood, as his brother's sword bit into his side and arm. Staggering, the Knight cried out reaching as the dream world wavered, briefly replaced with an image of the branch he was sleeping on before snapping back to when he was being dragged. Zero struggling against the grip of the Knight-Lord Battle as he dragged the younger Gundam through the halls by raw physical strength.

That run through the palace would be burned in his memory, for the rest of Zero's long life. The glimpses of the night time world outside of the castle... Of his brothers, of light and shade, of both falling to the corruption virus the Dark Axis loosed upon not just the Knights but all the Gundams of their land.

White and gold stood out ahead of the horde of Axian troops, lost in the corruption as he carved out a bloody path through the Lacroan defenses- his own people and brothers in arms. They fell before him as the mech laughed, separated from his heart as his mind drowned in darkness.

Another pass and another window showed Zero the image of black winged death, his darkest brother letting loose the dark mana in his soul for the first time since the war with Ark. Just as he had mana wings, so did Deed. The spread out behind and above him as the mech spun and lashed out, his scythe flashing in the fight light as the blade drank as deeply of the enemy Axians as their weapons had of the Lacroan civilians that night. With each swing it seemed like another Zaku dropped onto or clung to Deed's frame.

"Brother..." Again the mech jerked in his questionable sleep, struggling against a grip that wasn't there as white formed on his back, trying to extend to go to the aid of his one known brother as he was dragged away.

For one moment the gazes of the two knights met, Zero's blue wide and staring at Deed's two colored. One eye the normal violet the other red and black from the corruption...

"...Deed get out of there!" Zero yelled, jerking himself up right and lunging forward on the branch, the grip on his sword shifting as lit leapt and slashed out. The filtered moon light dancing off the surface as the blade sliced through one of the dangling fruits before the mech those mana wings shook loose and fanned out behind him, and only after the leading edges hit and tangled in branches enough to jar loose white feathers did blue and yellow eyes focus.

In the quiet of the orchard forest, the bloody songs of battle rang in the Knight's ears. Echoes of war cries, the clash of swords... it all sang in Zero's ears as he fanned his wings to drop down to the ground. Fighting off sleep and the clinging nightmare that kept replaying the images of his brother losing control of his dark mana from not just a week ago, but years before in the war with Ark. The mech shook his head, swiped at phantoms in the air as he backed up, gasping as his back hit a tree.

Faced with these phantoms, Zero's arms shook for a moment before locking as training kicked in. Narrowing his eyes, the Knight arched his wings before folding them around himself and taking deep breaths. As his heart rate lowered the song of battle ebbed and then faded to be replaced with humming rumble in his chest.

When the mumble rose into a broken croon of a lullaby, Zero was able to fold his wings back and let his personal mana ease. That let the mech's wings flicker but instead of dissolving back into hiding they stayed out. Perhaps a physical reaction to a subconscious need to have some form of readiness as he slid his sword back into the built in sheath in his shield. Taking another deep breath the mech strolled forward, sleep for the rest of the night, more morning, wasn't going to be an option so Zero was just going to patrol farther in and out of the orchard forest he had been recovering in.

His steps were slow at first, taking him in ever expanding circles as Zero walked off the uneasy failure and just negative feels as much as he could. It wouldn't go away, the white and blue Knight knew that but hopped the exercise would put it in the back of his mind for a while. Perhaps he could find the edge of the orchard by the time the morning came.

_Crunch..._

Blinking, Zero paused as he came back to the preset, happier memories before his Lord-Knighthood. Looking down he blinked at the grown, lifting his foot and moving it-

_...crunch..._

Zero froze, eyes dilating and then widening as he stood perfectly still balanced mostly on his left foot while he stared at the grey, perfect stone grass. Petrified grass... the mech's eyes ticked up and looked around, taking in the section of the forest ahead and to his right that was all stone; from the blades of grass to leaves above, from the trees to the fruit they had. Insects, small birds that had dropped to the ground or hadn't been about to take off, and even a doe and her foul frozen mid movement of fleeing.

"Here too?" Zero asked, pained as he stepped forward, his wings arching out automatically despite his flight systems humming back to life after a week of healing. Up in the air he wouldn't damage anything, except when the leading edges of his wings brushed and snapped off some leaves and a few apples. The mech closed them and let the white mana folded and dissolved into hiding again.

Hovering for a moment, with a stone apple in hand Zero leaned forward to move. The mech looked around, fallowing the frozen path now as he worried if the Bagu-Bagu had fallowed _him_ into this world. This was close to, but not exactly close enough to where the mech had landed to convince him fully of this.

"So... The Dark Axis is here as well..." Zero felt his shoulders being pressed down with more weight as his fingers traced over the apple. He looked at a branch at his now eye level, reaching out the Knight ran a careful finger over the half extended wing of bird.

_Woop-woop!_

"What in the name of the spirits-?" Zero looked up, started, and then promptly blinded by a double flash of red and blue as a skimmer swung around overhead. The Lacroan Gundam took a step back, for a split second thinking of the Axian troop drop ships… but no. The outline of this craft didn't fit with his memory.

The fates seemed determined to farther confuse Zero, for the roar of a larger Utopian H-class hover craft fallowed the flitter. It's bloated form seeming more to waddle then normal and two stumpy wings flapping in comparison to the sleeker model as the craft fallowed the same course before settling down on the other side of the frozen trees.

Zero dropped a few feet, using the tree as cover before peering around the trunk. He stared at the lights and, now that he was paying attention the other mech forms that were getting nearer. The knight mentally berated himself for not paying enough attention as Zero tracked the movements. He saw that these mostly white mechs (alike and so different to Lacroan design) were moving in a pattern. Stepping carefully as they methodically searched, now and then one would stop and pick something up, a small frozen animal. Then they would give it to one of the flies who with the same care took it to the H-classes.

"I found the inner edge of the petrified area sir!" One of the fliers called as he passed by the other side of the tree Zero was using as shelter. Red and violet eyes half hidden under a semi clear blue visor, his form itself stood apart from the others being blue based in color mostly, with slate-grey wings, "Just like the last location Gun Eagle, no semi-effects. Its either stone or not."

"It seems father was right..."A deeper voice replied, rumbling thoughtfully and sounding a little too close as the sounds of thrusters drew nearer. Zero grabbed his cape and pulled it around to limit his visibility. Drawing on his experience of years in the Royal Gardens, he moved slowly and quietly away as the native mechs of this world continued, "Hmm... Holds, get the techs to collect some plant-life samples as well for Shoulin if possible without damaging them- or maybe some of the fragments that are already broken."

"Yes sir." Holds nodded, drifting into view with his wing leader. The thrusters pack on his back, between his gray wings, was humming at a lower setting to let him hover with a few feet between him and the ground. "When the labs figures out this petrification phenomenon they'll want everything intact as well."

Zero blinked from his new spot, having retreated back to the normal trees as the two talked. The Knight just stared at this Gun Eagle, absorbing the _size_ of the wing leader as he hovered with half closed, plated wings. He was taller than the near seven foot Holds, both fliers tower over everyone else including Zero. The other thing that stood out with the white flier was his colors, the gold and red highlights were just the right shades that the Knight recognized it as the royal colors of Musha Gundams of Ark.

"Sir!" A pair of voices called fallowed by the owners, partners with matching black and red color schemes with silver wings, they swooped in and stopped in front of Gun Eagle, saluting, "There's no organic signatures roughly 250 foot radius from the estimated ground zero," One mech reported.

"The area was petrified the same way by the Dark Axis invasion attempt here as well as in the fields." The second flier said, proving to be a she by voice as there wasn't much difference in form when in full armor from her wing mate.

"Be careful not to damage the critters," Gun Eagle addressed then rest of the search party over his radio. "Yes, that way when they reverse the process each animal will return to normal without being possibly injured."

Holds nodded in agreement to the order, before looking at his wing mates as their leader reorganized the rest to do a second sweep, "Theta, Maximus, any luck finding Caption?"

"No," Maximus shook his head, "Not yet, we found a few weapons of the Axians and his shield but no sign of him yet."

"I think we need to expand the search grid," Theta sighed, looking at the orchard with a worried glance. "If that explosion was big enough to throw shrapnel at Tab-Tack... how is he by the way?" She switched to not say anything negative about the chances of their missing comrade.

"He's fine now," Holds nodded, letting the conversation shift, "He's at Medic One's hospital with Sahara now."

"Scanners up!" Gun Eagle broke in as he came back to the three, "There's an impact zone in the orchard that's been spotted, might be Captain." He was already raising up higher, and by the time his wings could fully spread and thrusters fired to life, the other three had already fallen into formation.

Blue eyes tracked the four, fallowing their direct flight path and over laying it on his mental map to realize they were heading to _his_ landing spot. Zero blinked again before stepping back further into the night's deeper shadows, away from the lights of the H-class ships that were settling down to bath the petrified area with a white, nearly moon like light. Perhaps the Lacroan could approach these mechs, for they seemed good, but Zero's heart and Core were still too shattered.

Zero wasn't sure, in his inner most mind, that he wouldn't be able to talk to them. Or face anyone right now in his dishonor, doubled in his mind for nearly abandoning his post to see if one of his two chargers was alright.

When it was completely quiet in the great orchard again, and with a comfortable distance between him and the Utopian such parties did the mech find a new perch to think. From there he would be able to watch the sun set...

Not overly far away, a clicking sound came from the mech's right, startling Zero. Something in the dark moved as one of the picker mechs peered over a branch to see what had jarred it out of recharge.

The picker was mantis like in the head and with the stabilizing 'forearms' that were currently planted into the ground. There were several other arms down its body that were currently folded and tucked up. In basics the main body was a long, wheeled 'tub' like bucket. Or more like a dump truck that was sorted with smaller containers.

"Oh," Zero breathed, blinking again as wide silver optics lit up in the semi dark of pre-dawn, "I am sorry…did I wake you?"

The picker-mech gave a reassuring trill and then clicked question at the Lacroan, tiling its head so one large optic was on Zero and the other looking down to check something on the ground.

Zero hesitated, he could understand the gist of what was 'said' on an instinctual level, but not the details, "...I am sorry my big friend but I do not understand."

The picker flicked its antenna up and gave another trill, followed by a reassuring chitter.

"Did I wake you?" Zero watched the Utopian mech consider then quietly shake its head. Watching it shift and raise its mantis like for-body up before giving itself a good long shake and vibrating tremble, small jaws opening in a yawn. "Aah, you get up at this time?"

If a picker-mech could smile it would have as its small mandibles twitched. Crooning it ducked under the branch in front of it before leaning forward. It rumbled in pleasure as Zero reached out to pet then scratch it on the head between the large optics and around the bases of its antenna.

"It seems your day has just started," The Knight sighed, looking over as the sun just started to realize it should be climbing up over the horizon. At hearing a _Muurt-buurt_ sound the Gundam looked down at the picker-mech as it pulled back, the many smaller arms moving before it offered a basket, waving one arm beside it for attention. Standing up the blue and white mech hopped lightly down onto the picker, balancing half of the bucket and half on its body in order to take the offering of mixed fruit. "...thank you."

The bigger mecha gave an almost smug sound, extending a few arms to make it easier for Zero to slid off it, well used to smaller being climbing all over it. Lifting one stabilizer, the picker extended out to get a new hold on the ground, and then the other before rolling after massive limbs. It started off at this slow pace, working its way through the orchard in the morning hours to a collection barn. It was aware of Zero following but not minded that either. Even if the Gundam didn't spend all of his time with the picker over the next week, it was still nice for the company.

By the end of that week, Zero was finally comfortable enough to start being more open. At least when he was sure there was none of the Gundam Force was too close by. He watched the civilians mostly, learning the local accent as it seemed the Utopians spoke slandered, though Zero could have sworn he heard _Ark_ terms and words here and there. On a whole it wasn't too hard to adapt too.

"It's so peaceful here." The blue and white mech said, his tone soft as he watched a the human girl gilding along the path way on strange wheeled boots. He observed with a protective urge that was so much stronger now, more than ever after what happened in his home world.

The Gundam started at hearing the girl yelp, and it took considerable effort not to rush down and swoop the child up. She had only lost her balance, and already the other few humans and four legged mech were helping her back to her feet.

Zero sigh, fisting his hands.

He wanted, no, _needed_ to protect something now... To prove he was still a Gundam, a guardian Knight. Being torn away from his homeland like he'd been, even by his own companions... The mech sighed again, and then blinked as a small hand patted his leg, looking down Zero stared a moment at the toddler that had trustingly wanted over to him.

"...yes?" Zero asked, shifting to kneel down beside the wide eyed child.

"Hugs an' luvs?" The little one asked, holding his arms up to the mech for attention.

The Lord Knight didn't just melt, nope, no he didn't. Not all.

...Zero barely waited a moment to lift the boy up into his arms though.


End file.
